Safety fusee cap



July 10, 1962 J. F. PERRlGo ETAL 3,043,220

SAFETY FusEE CAP Filed sept. 25, 1958 ATTORNEY l 3,043,220 SAFETY FUSEE CAP llohn F. Perrigo, Beloit, Wisa, and Russell G. Rutherford,

Rockford, Ill., assignors to Lakeside Railway Fusee Co., South Beloit, Wis., a copartnership Filed Sept. 23, 1958, Ser. No. 762,835. 8 Claims. (Cl. 1ML-37.8)

This invention relates to a new and improved safety fusee cap construction. Fusee caps, as heretofore constructed, consisting of a hollowedout wooden plug held in place in one end of a cardboardv tube by means of Va wire staple, which also fastened the cloth tape to the cap, were rather expensive, considering the small amount of service performed thereby, and the fact also that they did not aiford a truly dependable protection for the igniting headrof the fusee. It is, therefore, the principal `object of our invention to improve the construction of such a cap so as to provide truly dependable protection for theV igniting head, and at the same time make the caps available at no higher cost than the old cap construction, if as high.

In the improved cap of our invention, a sheet metal top closure is employed comparable to a bottle cap, having a cork disk inserted therein which serves for protection of the igniting head of the fusee, the flange of the top closure being however formed to a reduced diameter so as to grip the marginal edge portion of the disk in the folded-in rim portion of the closure, and the flange being Y 4inserted in one end of the cardboard sleeve with one end portion of the cloth tape and the flange swedged outwardly while the projecting rim portion is swedged downwardly and inwardly to fasten the closure to the cardboard sleeve and at the same time grip the end portion of the tape'securely its full width between the two parts. 'In that way, since the cork gives sufficient protection for the igniting head on the fusee, there is no. necessity, as there was with the old construction, of `stuihng crumpled paper into the cap as a protective buler for the head, and the tape is gripped securely its full width in the cap instead of being fastened only partway across in a haphazard manner with a staple, so that there is less danger of the tape ripping off at the point of fastening when it has to be pulled upwardly to tear the paper covering to expose the ignition material on the top of the cap before the cap iS twisted to break it loose from the remainder of the paper covering preliminary to the scratching of the ignition material against the exposed head of the fusee in the lighting thereof..

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- FIG. l is a side view of a safety fusee, the cap of which is made in accordance withV our Yinvention but is concealed by the glued paper covering in the usual way, leaving only a short end portion of the pull tape exposed;

FIG. 2 shows the same fusee with the paper covering ripped open by an upward pull on the tape, Vexposing theV ice ing while it burns. 7 is a generally circular button-like projection of special igniting compound provided in the usual way on the upper end of the fusee, constituting the igniting head for the fusee, this being so related to the ignition material 8 usually provided on top of the cap so that scratching of this material sharply but lightly against the head 7 is enoughto light the body ofthe Vfusee, the usual compound 9 in the body of the fusee being sureburning once ignited although it burns fairly slowly, a `fusee of the standard length usually burning about ten minutes. Y The cardboard covering 10 is burned up at the same rate as the rest of the body of the fusee. Y

The cap indicated generally by the reference numeral 11 comprises, in accordance with our invention, a cardboard sleeve 12 to form the shank for the cap having a close telescoping tit on the upper end of the cylindrical body of the fusee, a formed sheet metal top closure 13 closing the upper end of the sleeve 12 and being coated on the outside with the ignition material 8 previously mentioned and carrying on its inside a cork disk 14 for protection of the projecting head 7 in the event of any contact with it, and also having a cloth tape 15 suitably secured to the cap 11 between the metal top closure 13 and the cardboard sleeve 12, so that this pull tape can be extended across the top of the cap 11 as a protective covering for the ignition material 8, as has been customary with safety fusees in the past. VA paper covering 16 is applied with glue over the upper end of the body of the fusee and cap 11 to fasten and conceal the cap completely except for the protruding pull-tab defined by the small 'end portion of the tape 15, as seen in FIG. 1. Thus, the fusee is fully protected for shipment and storage and handling up to the time it is to be used, when the tape 15 is pulled upwardly, tearing the paper covering 16 lengthwise, as indicated at 17, and crosswise of its upper end,

as indicated at 18, so that it is a simple matter to free the cap 11 by a twist to tear the paper along the line 19, so that the cap can be removed and the fusee is then ready for lighting.

In the manufacture of the caps 11 by machine, the cardboard sleeve 12 has a short length of the closure receiving end thereof flared inwardly and folded inV annu-- larly, as shown at 20 in FIG. 4, by the action of progressive dies, to approximately the same width as the annular flange 21 of the metallic end closure 13. This closure resembles a bottle cap and the cork 'disk 14 therein is comparable, to what are used in suchcaps'. The closure 13 has a side wall 23 and a substantially flat upper wall 27 of'a diameter large enough for closing the upper end of the sleeve 12 and has a concentric annular flange 21 of smaller diameter projecting downwardly from an annular horizontal lower wall 28 that extends inwardly from the top of kan inner side wall 29 that defines an annular shoulder on its inner side for clinching engagement with the inwardly ared portion 20 of the'closure 13 and another annular shoulder on its outer side for clinching engage- Y ment with the marginal edge portion'of the cork disk 14,

showing the improved vconstruction of our invention in Y section, and l FIG. 4 is a further enlarged sectional detail of a portion of the construction appearing in section in FIG. 3.

The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout these views. 1,

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral 5 designates a fusee generally having a spike 6 on the lower end to drive into the ground after Vthe fusee has'been lighted and is dropped, spike end down, to remain standthe wall 29 being disposed in spaced concentric relation to the aforesaid side Wall 23 and connected therewith at the bottom as at '30. The lower wall 28 is spaced from the upper wall27 to receive the marginal edge portion 24 ofthe cork disk 14 therebetween, and, in the clinching operation, when the marginal portion of therclosure 13 is swedged downwardly and inwardly to gripY the inwardly flared end 20 of the sleeve 12, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4,

f the closure 13 gets the form seen in section in FIG. 4,

. inserted between the end of the sleeve 12 and the llange 21 of the closure 13 is firmly gripped in the clinching operation as it is pinched its full width between said parts by the swedging of the ange 21 outwardly and the swedging of the outer portion 29-30 of the closure inwardly. Consequently, there is no danger lof the tape being either pulled out ortorn oil in the ripping open of the paper covering 1'6 at 17 and 18 preliminary to the removal of the cap 11. lt goes without saying that this machinemade cap is not only much better but can be produced more speedily and at some saving probably comparedto the cost of the old style caps, where the hollowed out wooden plug was set by hand with theend of the tape in the end of the cardboard sleeve and fastened by hand with a staple. Also, with this cork-lined sheet metal top closure 13 on the cap, there is no need for inserting a Wad of crumpled paper in the closed end of the cap as a buffer for the igniting head 7 on the upper end of the f usee, and that means the elimination of an additional assembly operation and, hence, an appreciable saving in labor cost.

In operation, the present cap 11 provides a better and far more dependable protective covering for the igniting head end 7 of the fusee '5 than tde old caps, not only because the cork disk 14 is of uniform thickness (which was not and could not be true of the wads of crumpled paper) but also because the cork disk is always certain to be supported at a predetermined distance above the head end by the ilange 22 forming part of an annular shoulder inside the upper end portion of the sleeve 12 bearing on the end of the fusee annularly, as indicated at 26 in FIG. 3, in radially spaced relationship to the igniting button or head 7 (which, it must be remembered is usually notV truly circular and is furthermore not always of the same dimensions and not always centrally located). Consequently, the danger of fracturing the igniting button or head 7 or cracking it oil entirely is eliminated, and, of course, a fusee without such an igniting head is useless, and one with a fractured head might ignite only with some difliculty, or not at all, and it should also be remembered that fusees are usually needed in an emergency and must therefore be sure-Ere.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of out invention. The appended claims haveV been drawn to cover all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

l. As an article of manufacture', a safety fusee cap for protective enclosure of the upper end of a fusee on which an ignitable head -is provided, comprising a tubular cardboard sleeve closed at one end adapted to t closely on the igniting end of the fusee, said one end portion of said sleeve being folded inwardly to'dene a short inwardly flared end portion with respect to the longitudinal 'axis of said tubular sleeve, said end portion having `a double wall thickness, a sheet metal cup-shaped closure having a substantially ilat upper wall of a diameter largeenough for closing the said one end portion of said sleeve and disposed over the sameV and having a downwardly extending annular side wall, means attached .to said side wall which' carries an annular flange, the diameter o f said annular'angebeing less than the diameter rof saidl one end portion of said sleeve so that'said flange lits inside theVV said upper wall, and an elongated ilexible tape secured at one end `to said closure, said Vtape having oneend portion thereof` entered in the said one end portionY of said sleeve between i t and the tlange on the closure so as to,

be gripped by the edge of the ange in the clinching of the closure onto said sleeve.

2. As an article of manufacture, a safety fusee cap for,

protective enclosure of the upper end of a fusee on which an ignitable head is provided, comprising a tubular cardboard sleeve closed at one end adapted to t closely on the igniting end of the fusee, a short length of said one end portion of said sleeve'being ilared inwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis of said tubular sleeve, a sheet metal cup-shaped closure having a substantially flat upper wall of a diameter large enough for closing the said one end portion of said sleeve and disposed over the same and having a downwardly extending annular side wall, means attached to said side wall which carries an annular tlange, the diameter of said annular flange being less than the diameter of said one end portion of said sleeve so that said tlange lits inside thel said one end portion of said sleeve, said llange being llared downwardly relative to said upper wall and radially with respect t0 the longitudinal axis of said sleeve to clinch the closure onto the said one end portion of said sleeve from the inner side, said means having an annular shoulder extending downwardly with respect to said upper wall into engagement annularly with theV inwardly ilared end portion of said sleeve to clinch the closure onto said sleeve from the outer side.

3. An article of manufacture as set `forth in claim 2 wherein said means is spaced from said tlat upper wall and said annular shoulder on said means is spaced radially inwardly toward said longitudinal axis from said side wall, a disk of relatively soft shock-absorbing material being disposed on the inside of said closure against the upper Wall, said disk being retained therein by its marginal edge portion which extends into the space between said upper wall and said means and further into the space between said annular shoulder and said side wall.,

4. An article o f manufacture as set forth in claim 2 wherein said means is spaced from said tlat upper wall and said annular shoulder on said means is spaced radially inwardly toward said longitudinal axis from said side wall, a disk of relatively soft shock-absorbing material being disposed on the inside of said closure against the upper wall, said disk being retained therein by its marginal edge portion which extends into the space between said upper Vwall and said meansV and further into the space between said annular shoulder and said side wall, there being an elongated llexible tape having one end portion entered between the closure and the inwardly Yflared end portion of said sleeve so as to be gripped firmly between said parts in the clinching of the closure onto said sleeve.

5. Infa fusee, comprising a tubular casing containing an elongated cylindrical llare body having an ignitable upper end on top of which is a centrally located igniting head of less diameter than the ilare body that is.

ignitable for safety only by sharp rubbing contact with an ignition compound, and afremovable protective cap covering the ignitableuppcr end of said fusee, the irnprovement which consists in the provision in said cap forrprotective enclosure of the ignitable upper end of the fusee of a tubular cardboard sleeve fitting closely on the ignitable upper end portion of the casing and havingA a short` length of its. tubular upper end portion tlared inwardly with respect to thevlongitudinal axis of said tubular sleeve, a Ysheet metal cup-shaped closure having a substantially ilat upper wall ofa diameter large enough for closing the inwardly Vflared end portion of said sleeve vand disposed over the same and having a downwardly wall and said means and secured by its marginal edgel portion therebetween inthe clinching of the flange onto the inner side of said inwardly ilared end-portion of coating of ignition material on the outer side of said closure for use in lighting the fusee by rubbing contact with the igniting head when the cap is removed from the fusee, the ilange 'and the inwardly flared end portion of the sleeve onto which the flange is clinched from the inside together defining an annular shoulder inside the inwardly flared end portion of the sleeve in a predetermined downwardly spaced relation to said disk of shockabsorbing material arranged by engagement with the upper end of the casing in radially spaced relation to the igniting head to limit downward movement of the cap on the casing to further protect the igniting head against accidental ignition. l

l 6.1In a fusee, comprising a tubular casing containing an elongated cylindrical flare body having an ignitable upper end on top of which is a centrally located igniting head of less diameter than the flare body that'ds ignitable for safety only by sharp rubbing contact with an ignition compound, and a removable protective cap covering the ignitable upper end of said fusee, the improvement which consists in the Vprovision inV said cap for protective enclosure of the ignitable upper end of the fusee of a tubular Cardboard sleeve tting closely on the ignitable upper end portion of the casing and having a short length of its tubular upper end portion flared inwardly with respect tothe longitudinal axis of said tubular sleeve, and a sheet metal cup-shaped closure having a substantially llat upper wall of a diameter large enough for closing the inwardly ared end portion of said sleeve and disposed over the sameand having a downwardly extending side wall, means Iattached to said side wall which carries an annular downwardly extending ange clinched onto said inwardly ared end portion i of said sleeve from the inside, there being a'coatng of ignition material on the outer side of said closure for use in lighting the fusee by rubbing contact with the igniting head when the cap is removed from the fusee, the

ange and the inwardly ared end portion of the sleeve onto which the ange isclinched from the inside together defining an annular shoulder inside the inwardly flared end portion of the sleeve arranged by engagement with the upper end of the casing in radially spaced relation to the igniting head to limit downward movement of the cap on the casing to'protect the igniting head against accidental ignition.

` 7. A fusee as set forth in claim 5, including an elongated flexible tape adapted to be secured at one end to said cap to extend over the outside thereof and protect the coating of ignition material thereon and also extend alongside the sleeve to ripV a paper covering applied over the cap and slee-ve and adjacent portion of the body of Vthe fusee, the tape having its one end to be secured gripped between the annular ange on the sheet metal closure and the inwardly itlared end portion offthe tubular cardboard sleeve. f

8. A fusee as set forth in claim 6, including an elongated ilexible tape adapted to be secured at one end to said cap to extend over the outside thereof and protect r the coating of ignition material thereon and also extend valongside the sleeve to grip a paper covering applied over the cap and sleeve and adjacent portion of they body of the lfusee, thetape having its one end to be secured gripped between the annular flange on the sheet metal closure and the inwardly flared end portion of the tubular cardboard sleeve.

ReferencesCited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 853,777 1,036,545 Beadle' Aug. 27, 1912 1,045,033 Jackson Nov. 19, 1912 1,296,561 Ross Mar. 4, 19,19 1,327,899 Bemisderfer Jan. 13, 1920 1,329,736 y Wiley Feb. 3, 1920 1,706,007 VVan Alstyne et al. Mar. 19, 1929 1,969,120 Coakley Aug. 7, 1934 2,358,713 VHutt Sept. `19, 1944 Dutcher May 14, 1907 

